Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Remember Linked Files Have Two Workset Parameters

I find this overlooked regularly. Each link has an Instance AND Type parameter called Workset. If we select a link (RVT) in the Project Browser we can see the Type parameter for workset, even if the link isn't loaded.


If we right-click and choose Select All Instances > In Entire Project we can see the Instance parameter value, unless there is more than one instance (copies of the link).

The best way to ensure that both parameter values are assigned to the same workset is to make sure the Active Workset is set correctly first, before we link the file. If not then we have to check both values.

Why are there two parameters?

The Type parameter governs the existence of the link in the database while the Instance parameter governs the actual instance you can see in the model views. The linked file can be copied, for example House Design A can be copied so we can show that it will be located on several lots within a development, each likely oriented differently.


The instance parameter allows us to assign each copy to a unique workset while the Type parameter affects all of the copies. That means closing the workset assigned to the Type parameter will close all of the copies of the link, none of them will be visible.


If we close the workset assigned to just one copy then only that linked file won't be visible.


If we experience erratic issues with linked file visibility it is the first thing I check. I'm also in the habit of looking at all the linked files every time I get introduced to project. This also applies to other linked files (CAD,Point Cloud).

Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Section Line Annotation Alignment

No, not the 2019.1 feature that allows us to use the Align tool on sections...

If you find yourself wondering why you don't the get the telltale dashed lines to help you line up section heads or tails check Visibility/Graphics for the view and make sure Lines are checked (visible). If the category is turned off, so too are they. These...


Check this...

Friday, August 17, 2018

Cannot Publish Coordinates

I've run into this with a couple clients recently, this warning message appears:


Quirky work-around warning...
  • Building Model: Make sure you have a Local File for it (I save to my own PC)
  • Site Model: Change the saved path to the Building's Central File to your own Local File instead
  • Site Model: Publish Coordinates
  • Site Model: SwC (should succeed and get a prompt to Save changes to the linked file)
  • Site Model: Close
  • Building Model: Open your existing Local File SwC (passes shared coordinate data to central)
  • Building Model: Close
  • Site Model: Reset the path for the Building to the central location
Any future Publish Coordinates, if necessary, should work after that.

The error message is tied to linked files (DWG) that are actively changing. Revit would notice those links were different than the version it had a record of during a SwC, even though it does not reload links during a SwC. I imagine it takes note of the file date or something high level that defines the DWG in the database. The solution then was to reload those links before using SwC.

I have found since that it has been possible to avoid the warning if any linked DWG files are unloaded prior to using Publish Coordinates. In at least one situation we had to go through the steps above even when there were no DWG's linked/imported. Autodesk documentation says in some cases it can be associated with file corruption.

Quirky...     

Thursday, August 16, 2018

App Thoughts - Project Info Workset

Lately I find the Project Info workset is borrowed by someone inadvertently (okay me). As such, I wishfully imagine I could mash a button and find out if I've got that workset borrowed based on selecting a project folder and it checking each of the project files it finds. Being able to browse through projects on Revit Server would be boss too. If it could relinquish any instances if finds for me that would be really boss.

I guess I'll have to wander off to the Dynamo salt mines to see if any of it's possible.

As for why this happens...in my case it is related to Publish Coordinates. That's the only operation Revit permits us to alter a linked file; alter and save changes to a file we don't have open in the active session.

At the moment I think it happens when the process fails to complete properly. However it has happened too on occasion when I was convinced it worked. I have some reservations about Revit Server too. I've noticed a higher proportion of projects not being able to use Publish Coordinates when the files are available via Revit Server. Which reminds me I've got a post in drafts about resolving a Can't Publish Coordinates situation...brb.

Casting numerous aspersions with only clues to base them on...not very scientifical of me eh?

Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Project Units Matter - Specify Coordinates at Point

When we use the Specify Coordinates at Point (SPaC) it is possible that the units in use will affect your results. For example, this project is using Feet and Fractional Inches (FaFI) but for SPaC to match the available survey info it was changed to Decimal Inches (DI) with six decimal places. After using SPaC the units were returned to FaFI.

Some time later the elevation needed to be changed thus causing us to revisit using SPaC. The following image shows the original values used for SPaC.


Leaving the Project Units assigned to FaFI resulted is this subtle change to the coordinate values.


When the units were revised to match the earlier DI settings the SPaC coordinates are not altered.

Shorter story, be careful with your unit settings when using SPaC.

Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Move to Room - Element ID - Review Warnings

If we use Review Warnings often enough, and we should be, we'll run into this warning eventually.
Check the item and Click Show to have Revit try to find a view to show it in. Once it is selected we can either drag the Tag where it is suppose to go or Click the Show Related Warnings button on the ribbon to show the dedicated warning it has again.
When this warning is isolated like this the dialog includes the Move to Room button. An aside, is it amusing or worrisome that Revit seems to think the best way to fix warnings is to delete the offending element (via Delete Checked)? Regardless, Move to Room will resolve the issue whether we can see where the tag is meant to be or not.
Another way to tackle it from the Review Warnings dialog is to make a note of the Element ID referenced in the warning. Now we can then use the Select by ID tool. Enter the ID value and click OK.
This will select the tag, even if we're not in a view that it can be seen in, and then we can use the Show Related Warnings button on the ribbon again followed by the Move to Room button.